måndag 26 november 2012

Long Live Picture Books!

Varför jag skriver på engelska, se här

Sometimes I wísh I could climb into a picture book. One of those books that contain lots of friendly pictures where the drawings don't resemble life at all. Where proportions don't matter; heads are too big, bodies take the shapes of pencils and hair is coloured brightly pink.
Here in the world of picture books, playfulness rules and if bad things occur, they appear slightly kinder than they would do in a novel where no illustrations could be found.

One of my absolute favourite illustrators of books is Quentin Blake, well-known for his literary partnership with Roald Dahl. The characters which he conjures with his pen is infused with happiness and seems to buzz with energy when you look down on the page. In combination with Roald Dahl's imaginative stories, you get this sense of that the world is a more eccentric place than you get the feeling of as eat your breakfast on a Sunday morning.

And I really think we need that and we require it in larger doses as we age - there's a beauty in mystery and glimpses of wonder in everyday life. You just need to find it in the heart of the small things that life offers you.

One of these things that make my heart tingle from happiness is Pindippy. This is a website, a couple of video series, a couple of designed T-shirts and art, all made by Jessie Cave. You will definitely recognise this young woman - she played the role of Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter series. She both writes and acts in the series which she has created, a low-key web comedy whose humour you might connect with The Office. The jokes don't shout - they can just be a certain way of pronouncing a word or a slight rise of an eyebrow.

While, to be honest, I think the video series isn't as funny as it could have been - at the moment - her art is interesting and hugely attractive. The illustrations and style of hers are what impress me the most - and the enthusiasm and ideas that can so clearly be seen in them. Just like a really good illustrator, she succeeds in designing a universe where everything is soft and colourful, where troubles are few.

An extra note to all the book lovers: she has made a special web series which main focus is a book club.

 


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